Bob Arum said Manny Pacquiao looked fresh and competitive in his return to the ring against Mario Barrios. The legendary promoter agreed with the judges that the draw was fair, although many believe the Filipino should have won.

Legendary comeback: Pacquiao impresses Arum in his return

At 46 years old and after four years of retirement, Manny Pacquiao returned to the ring to face Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title. Although the fight ended in a draw, the Filipino's performance was praised by boxing figures such as Bob Arum, who promoted him for much of his career.
"He looked fresher than Barrios, I was very surprised by his level,” Arum told The Ring. “He didn't look like a 46-year-old boxer with four years of inactivity.”

Divided opinion: Fair draw or stolen victory?

Arum, however, had no objections: “I had Manny winning six rounds to three after the first nine. Then he lost the last three, so I saw it as a fair draw. Although it was clear that if anyone was going to win, it was Manny.”

Both boxers showed determination, but it was Pacquiao who shone with his characteristic flashes of speed, especially in the middle rounds, while Barrios held on with grit and resilience.